Electric-lighting apparatus.



P. G. HEWITT.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING APPARATUS.

APPLIUATION FILED FEB. 23, 1910. 1,064,688, Patented June 10, 1913.

f (W I/VVEMT ATTORNEY WITNESSES W/fim cnrrnn s'r rrns PATENT orrion.

PETER COOPER HEWITT, OF RINGWOOD MANOR. JERSEY, ASSIGNQB, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO COOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY,A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC-LIGHTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

oci ,oss.

Patented J line 10, 1913.

Original application filed March 23, 1901, Serial No. 52,488. Dividedand this application filed February 23, 1910. Serial No. 545,280.

tie it known that l, ll-l'rnu Coornn llnwi'rr, a citizen of the lnitedStates, and resident of ltingwood Manor, county of lassaic, State ot NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements inElecttic-Lighting Apparatus, of which the 't'ollovving is aspecification.

My invention relates to that class of electric apparatus in which theconducting medium is a vapor or gas.

'lhc apparatnsmay beused as a lamp or source of light or for variousother purposes.

In certain patents issued to me on the 17th day of September, 1901, forexample, lnited States Patents #682,690 and US$695, 1 have describedvarious forms of vapor or gas electric lamps, and the present inventionrelates more particularly to means for conveniently starting andoperating lamps or other gas or vapor electric apparatus in which thehenomena at the negative electrode constitute an important part of theresistance to starting. V

I have found that in an apparatus having a vapor or gas path interveningbetween the negative and positive electrode, under certain conditions ofpurity, there is an apparent reluctance on the part of the current toenter the negative electrode. I have further found that the tendency ofthe current is to assume a path between the positive electrode and thatportion of the negative electrode which is remote therefrom. Forinstance, in a tube of considerable length constituting the inclosingchamber of the device, it a conducting rod constituting an extension ofthe negative electrode be extended through a considerable portion of thelength of the tube, the current will enter the negative electrode at apoint, generally speaking, as remote as possible from the positiveelectrode, instead of traversing the extended conductor. Theexact'explanation of this phenomenon is notessential to a description ofmy invention. From experiments which I have made, however, I believethat it is proven beyond reasonable doubt that the current tends toremain in the vapor path as long'as possible before entering thenegative electrode.

For the purpose of starting the device, I sometimes employ some specialmeans for pose.

overcoming the initial reluctance of the current to traverse the spaceimmediately surroumling the negative electrode. I have found, however,that by making an actual electrical contact between the positive andnegative electrodes and then separating the two while current isflowing, it will continue to flow under the influence of a moderatedifference of potential, the negative resistance phenomenon to startinghaving thus been eliminated.

I avail myself of the phenomenon of the reluctance of the current toenter the negative electrode by extending the negative electrode of thedevice to a point near thepositivo electrode and providing means forfirst bringing the two electrodes into electrical contact and thencausing a break or open space to be made between the two whereupon thecurrent which is first established at the junction is caused by thephenomenon to pass through the vapor and immediately traverse thedevice, entering the negative remote end of this rod, I may bring theposiv tive electrode (which may be of iron or other suitable material),and I may arrange the parts so that one or the other of the twoelectrodes shall he movable, whereby it shall be made possible to bringthe electrodes intocontact or epar te them at w l, .1 .1 may use abridging piece for the same pur- In order to render the operation of themovable electrode automatic, it may be of iron or -I may connect with ita piece of magnetic material, such as iron, and I may cause this ironpiece to be acted upon by a magnet or solenoid outside the inclosingvessel of the apparatus. By including the two electrodes in the circuitof the magnet or solenoid, when the electrodes are in contact, I macause the initial current passing. throu h t e contacting electrodes tosepa rate t e contacts and to bring about the condition in which thecurrent selects the vapor path instead of the path through the solidextension of the negative electrode. Other means of separating theelectrodes may be employed.

It its desirable'to have a resistance in series with the device when theelectrodes are in contact, but this resistance ma be cut out by thepassing current and, i desired, by the same device which automaticallyseparates the electrodes as soon as current be ins to pass.

n the accompanyin drawings 1 represents the exhausted inc osing tube orchamberof a gas or vapor apparatus. In this instance the negativeelectrode, 5, extends from one end of the device through the greaterportion of the length thereof. 1 constitute the negative electrode, 5,of mercury, in case the vapor. path is to contain mercury vapor. Themercury is, during the operation of the apparatus volatilized to agreater or less extent and condensed within the chamber, particularlywithin the -enlargements surrounding the electrodes. This serves todissipate the heat of the negative electrode by reason of itsv0latiliza-- tion. 'The positive electrode, 2, is magnetic and may beraised so as to break the contact established withthe extension of thenegative electrode through the contact piece, 40,-by the 'magnet, 16,traversed by the main current.

The operation of the deviceis as follows. When the parts are at rest andthe circuit is closed with the main line, current will pass from themain through the solenoid, 16,

continuing to flow to the adjacent portion of the negative electrode, itwill immediately proceed to the remote end of the nega tive electrode,5, through the intervening vapor with the attendant luminosity.

This a plication is a division of an a plication fi ed by me March 23,1901, Sgrial No. 52,488. 1

I claim as m invention: a

1. A vapor e ectric device comprising an exhausted horizontal tubularcontainer, a

mercury cathode and a movable solid anode therein, in combination withan extension of the mercury of said cathode in contact with said anodein the non-o crating condition of said apparatus an means for movingsaid anode to break said contact.

2. A mercury vapor apparatus comprising an exhausted container,separated electrodes therein, one being a liquid cathode, and means forutilizing an extension of the liquid of the cathode for temporarilyconnecting the electrodes.

3. In a vapor electric apparatus comprising an exhausted container,widely separated electrodes therein, and means for utilizing a long thinfilament of said conducting liquid for temporarily connecting I saidelectrodes.

4. In a vapor electric apparatus comprising an exhaustedcontainer,separated electrodes therein, and means for utilizing conducting liquidfor'temporarily connecting said electrodes in combination with means forproducing an interruption in the circuit thus established between theelectrodes.

5. In a mercury vapor apparatus an exhausted container and separatedelectrodes therein connected by liquid material in the non-operatingposition and automatic means for interrupting the connection between theelectrodes upon the passage of current through the apparatus.

1 6. In a vapor electric apparatus the combination with an exhaustedcontainer and separated electrodes therein, one of which is a liquidcathode, normally connected by the liquid of said cathode of means forbreaking the connection between the electrodes.

Signed at New- York, in the county of New York, and State of New York,this 18th day of February, A. D. 1910.

PETER COOPER HEWITT.

